Sunnyvale crime: the official numbers
The California Department of Justice publishes the crimes each police agency reports, by year, in its OpenJustice Crimes and Clearances file. The table shows what Sunnyvale reported from 2014 to 2025, the latest year in the file, with the share of each category the agency reported as cleared.
| Year | Violent crimes | Property crimes | Violent cleared | Property cleared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 167 | 2,356 | 45.5% | 10.8% |
| 2015 | 158 | 2,355 | 57.0% | 8.1% |
| 2016 | 158 | 2,140 | 60.1% | 9.9% |
| 2017 | 182 | 2,682 | 52.2% | 10.3% |
| 2018 | 255 | 2,541 | 63.5% | 9.9% |
| 2019 | 259 | 3,380 | 56.4% | 5.7% |
| 2020 | 229 | 3,178 | 60.3% | 6.2% |
| 2021 | 267 | 3,353 | 53.9% | 4.2% |
| 2022 | 326 | 3,654 | 57.1% | 7.6% |
| 2023 | 377 | 2,920 | 51.5% | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 369 | 2,881 | 55.8% | 14.3% |
| 2025 | 293 | 2,895 | 59.4% | 15.3% |
What Sunnyvale's 2025 crimes were
Of the 293 violent crimes reported in 2025, 190 were aggravated assaults, 66 robberies, 36 rapes and 1 homicide. Of the 2,895 property crimes, 2,144 were larceny-thefts, 420 burglaries and 331 motor vehicle thefts. Larceny-theft, which includes shoplifting and theft from cars, made up 74% of property crime.
How Sunnyvale compares with nearby cities in 2025
To compare cities of different sizes we divided each city's 2025 counts by its population in the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates. These are our calculations, not official rates.
| City (2025) | Violent per 1,000 | Property per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale | 1.9 | 18.8 |
| Mountain View | 2.2 | 25.2 |
| Santa Clara | 1.8 | 26.5 |
| San Jose | 5.1 | 23.8 |
By this measure Sunnyvale had the lowest property crime rate of the four in 2025 and the second-lowest violent crime rate. For statewide context, see our California crime data guide.
What the Sunnyvale crime numbers do and do not tell you
The trend runs in two directions. Violent crime more than doubled from 158 in 2016 to 377 in 2023, then fell to 369 in 2024 and 293 in 2025; most of the rise was aggravated assault, which went from 83 in 2016 to 240 in 2024 before falling to 190. Property crime peaked at 3,654 in 2022 and was 2,895 in 2025, about 21% lower. The share of property crimes cleared rose from 4.2% in 2021 to 15.3% in 2025.
These figures count reported crimes only. A change in reporting, in how offenses are classified, or in the size of the daytime workforce can move them. Crimes against businesses count the same as crimes at homes, so a city with many workplaces can show more theft than its residents experience. The file is citywide; it says nothing about one street or block. That is why we do not rank Sunnyvale neighborhoods or call any area safe or unsafe. Use the tools below for an address.
Our per-1,000 rates use the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 five-year population estimate for each city, because the DOJ file gives counts only. A different population base would change the rates, so treat them as approximate and use the same method for every city you compare.
Sunnyvale crime trends by type of offense
Burglary and vehicle theft in Sunnyvale
Burglaries peaked at 778 in 2021 and fell to 420 in 2025, below the 2019 level of 458. Motor vehicle thefts rose from 286 in 2014 to a high of 444 in 2021 and were 331 in 2025. If you will park on the street or in a shared garage, ask about car theft and break-ins on the block, and check whether a condo garage is gated.
Larceny-theft and robbery in Sunnyvale
Larceny-theft, the largest category, was 2,633 in 2022 and 2,144 in 2025, a fall of about 19%. Robberies have stayed in a narrow band, between 53 and 96 a year from 2014 to 2025, with 66 in 2025. Homicides are rare: Sunnyvale reported between 0 and 6 a year over the period, and 1 in 2025.
How to check crime near a Sunnyvale address
California DOJ OpenJustice for city-level trends
The OpenJustice data portal has the Crimes and Clearances file used above, plus arrests and other datasets, for every California agency. Download it to compare Sunnyvale with any other city over any span of years.
FBI Crime Data Explorer for national comparisons
The FBI's Crime Data Explorer shows what agencies report to the national system, with charts by offense and year. Search for the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety to compare it with agencies in other states.
Crime maps for recent incidents
Some agencies publish recent incidents to public portals such as CrimeMapping.com or LexisNexis Community Crime Map. We could not load the City of Sunnyvale's website when we checked, so ask the Department of Public Safety which map, if any, it publishes to, and how current the data is.
Megan's Law registry
The California Department of Justice's Megan's Law site lets you search registered sex offenders by address or ZIP code. Read the site's rules on how the information may be used before you search.
Visit, ask and read the disclosures
Walk the street at night and on a weekend. Ask neighbors and the HOA manager about package theft, car break-ins and lighting. In a condo, ask how the building controls garage and lobby access. Read the seller's disclosures and the HOA minutes for security issues.
Flood, earthquake and fire are risks too
Flood risk in Sunnyvale
Valley Water urges residents to check whether their home is in a FEMA flood zone, notes that a federally insured mortgage there requires flood insurance, and hands out free sandbags to county residents. Check the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center before you buy.
Earthquake hazard zones
The California Geological Survey's EQ Zapp map shows fault, liquefaction and landslide zones by address. Valley Water notes most homeowners' and renters' policies do not cover earthquake damage, so price cover through the California Earthquake Authority; see our earthquake insurance guide.
Fire and multi-hazard lookups
Cal OES MyHazards combines earthquake, flood, fire and tsunami layers for one address. Read our wildfire zones guide for what a fire hazard zone means for insurance.
A checklist before you buy or rent in Sunnyvale
- Read the latest OpenJustice figures for Sunnyvale and compare the trend with nearby cities.
- Ask the Department of Public Safety which crime map it publishes and check recent incidents near the address.
- Search the Megan's Law site for the address.
- Visit at night and on a weekend; ask neighbors and the HOA about thefts and lighting.
- Check FEMA flood zones, EQ Zapp and MyHazards for the property.
- Get insurance quotes, including earthquake and, if needed, flood cover, before you remove contingencies.
For the wider picture on living here, read is Sunnyvale a good place to live or compare areas in our Sunnyvale neighborhoods guide.